Dada is a Los Angeles trio (bassist Joie Callo, guitarist Michael
Gurley and drummer Phil Leavitt) that shows little remorse in recycling the
most abused refrains in pop history.
Last of a dynasty that began with the Beach Boys and went through Beat, Last,
20/20 and more recently Toad The Wet Sprocket,
Dada released three uninspired albums:
Puzzle (IRS, 1992), with
Dizz Knee Land,
Dog,
My Baby Fell for Ol' Saint Nick;
American Highway Flower (IRS, 1994), with
I Get High and
Dim;
El Subliminoso (IRS, 1996).
Fourth album Dada (MCA, 1998) delivers the
terrifying Beatles-esque melodies and bridges of Information Undertow
and Sweet Dark Angel, not to mention the
embarrassing Beach Boys-ian vocalizing of
This Thing Together.
For each chunk of Tom Petty (Playboy in Outerspace) or
Byrds (Beautiful Turnback Time Machine) we are punished with
misplaced AOR ambitions such as the
timid blues-rock shuffle California Gold.